Why was I unsuccessful in the Ticket Ballot?

The R&A holds a Ticket Ballot for The Open where demand for tickets is expected to outstrip the number of spectators we can accommodate at the venue. After its hugely successful staging in 2019, The Open returns to Royal Portrush in 2025. With home favourite Shane Lowry emerging triumphant at The 148th Open, there has been exceptional demand for tickets as anticipation builds for another unforgettable Championship on the enchanting County Antrim coast in July 2025. 

There is a maximum number of fans who can attend The Open on each day. This number changes at each venue, due to a variety of factors such as space around the golf course, health & safety, transport/travel networks, availability of accommodation and other factors that would impact the overall spectator experience. 

Through the Ticket Ballot process, we received more than a million ticket requests from fans looking to attend the event, which far outstrips the maximum number of fans who can attend.  Sadly, where there are more ticket requests than there are tickets available, we have been unable to offer tickets to every Ticket Ballot applicant. 

In order to make sure that the make-up of attendees at The Open is diverse, parameters have been used to make sure that the successful applicants are a mix of fans local to the venue, the rest of the UK and Ireland and the rest of the world.

The selection process considers a number of parameters to ensure that it remains as fair as possible to all applicants. The selection process is handled by a third-party organisation who ensures that the selections made are undertaken randomly and without bias.

If you have been unsuccessful in the Ticket Ballot and still wish to attend, click here for more information about alternative ways to attend The Open.